February 11, 2005

Week Four - Feb. 14 - Discussion Questions

Feminisms and Internationalism

• Lavrin states “Nationalism and all the centrifugal forces that may cause a cacophony of noises rather than a chorus of states purposes are serious obstacles if not threats to creating an intercontinental feminist spirit.” (179) What does Lavrin mean by this? How is nationalism a threat to an intercontinental feminist spirit? Is an intercontinental feminist spirit even possible?

• The Argentine Madres de la Plaza de Mayo and the model created by them was criticized by some feminists. Can motherhood be used as a political tool for international feminism? Or does it exacerbate the women-femininity-mother, men-masculinity-state polarity?

• How do the different political realities, as experienced by many women of different Latin American countries, affect international feminism?

• Does too much specificity in feminism weaken the view of feminism as based on gender solidarity?

• What kind of intervention is Asuncion Lavrin trying to make in her article?